Biomedical subjects

S Byqvist

Publications and source records attributed to S Byqvist.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Polydrug misuse patterns in Sweden. Gender differences.

The main purpose of this study was to draw up literature about polydrug misuse and to study the patterns and gender differences of polydrug misuse in a sample (N = 1,268) of narcotics users in Sweden. They were interviewed personally when entering treatment about their drug misuse from debut to established misuse. A nationwide case-finding study was used to verify the results. First, results indicate that those studied were primarily polydrug misusers and that alcohol consumption was very high. Second, gender differences were found. Third, a basic characteristic of multiple substance use was formulated. The findings are discussed in relation to new knowledge of consumption patterns.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Male drug abuse, criminality and subcultural affiliation in a career perspective.

Degree of connection to the criminal underworld was the basis for typologic research on 698 male drug abusers; interviews as well as official records were used. Four types were distinguished: The addicted criminals seemed to resemble the groups dominant in Sweden from the 1950s to the 1970s. An early crime debut and criminal offenses in youthful years characterized their deviant careers. Drugs and criminal activities coexisted with an often very high intake of alcohol and the most difficult childhood and adolescence conditions compared to the other types. The criminal addicts had fewer recorded acts of juvenile delinquency. Their drug abuse was severe and occurred later in life, as criminality did, but tended to accelerate very rapidly. Their subcultural affiliation was probably as strong as that of the addicted criminals. A large group called low-crime addicts had a weak subgroup affiliation. The "normal" abuse pattern, with cannabis as the first substance used and a gradual shift to more severe opioid and CNS stimulant abuse, was most true of this type. Probably the drug abuse played a role in the development of the criminal pattern. Emotionally unstable addicts with little or no criminality had the best education, job situation and social relations. Multiple drug abuse and abuse of legal drugs were common. Mental ill-health was characteristic for this group. The results show that drug abusers in Sweden cannot be seen as a homogeneous group of individuals, that they do not commit crimes only in order to finance their habit, and that the history of narcotics use in Sweden, with its strong connection to a criminal subculture, is highly relevant to this sample.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Criminality among female drug abusers.

Criminality among female (n=351) drug abusers is compared to that of men (n=798) as part of a longitudinal study of persons in treatment in Sweden (the SWEDATE project). The extent of criminality was much less among females than among males, and fewer women than men were criminal. The pattern of criminality varied between the sexes. Women's crime debuts occurred later, and they committed less violent crimes and more drug-related crimes. The majority of women supported themselves in other ways than with criminality. Also, women tended to have a more severe pattern of abuse, a more rapid drug career, and more complex psychological problems than men. A subgroup of prostitutes whose drug of choice was heroin often began drug use early with cannabis and went on to amphetamine for their first injection, which often took place in a junkie pad. There was also a criminal group (as there was among men) with a very early and intensive juvenile delinquency pattern, early drug debuts and a rapid transition to regular abuse and extensive adult criminality. Forty-two percent of the women had no criminal records; they had more extensive multiple drug abuse than the other women (this was also true for the noncriminal male addicts). The study shows that drug abuse and criminality are interrelated for certain individuals, but not for others.

Adolescent↗